WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th July, 2020) US Special Representative for Arms Control on Wednesday accused China of seeking a nuclear weapons parity with Russia and the United States as he was pressing a case for trilateral negotiations.
"It is in fact pursuing a dangerous and destabilizing nuclear weapons build-up with the intent ultimately of seeking nuclear parity - either qualitatively or quantitatively - with the United States and Russia," Billingslea said during online EU Defense Washington Forum.
He claims that China has abandoned its minimal deterrent nuclear strategy and demanded that the country disclose what is behind its "secretive and non-transparent" program. "The world deserves to know what China is doing," Billingslea said.
Last month, the US and Russia launched talks on the extension of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), the last bilateral pact limiting the two countries' nuclear arsenals that is set to expire in February. China was invited, but never sent its delegation to Vienna.
Billingslea said that he sees positive evolution in China's position and will continue efforts to bring it to the negotiations table. "We... stand ready to meet bilaterally with China in Vienna as a way of settling stage in due course for a trilateral discussion," he added.
Billingslea said that Russia shares US concerns and would also welcome China's participation in the new global arms control architecture.
